Child restraint system

Abstract

A child restraint system for use in a vehicle having improved vehicle seat belt anchoring mechanisms and an improved reclining mechanism. The vehicle seat belt anchoring mechanisms include a lap belt anchoring rod that is pivotable to facilitate the routing of the lap belt independent of the shoulder belt of the vehicle restraint system. The shoulder belt anchor member is located higher on the seat, and includes an anchor member received in a channel in the seat back. The recline mechanism of the child restraint system includes a recline plate that is connected to the rigid latch members. Reclining of the seat body results in movement of the rigid latch members to allow room between the seat body and the vehicle seat, thereby allowing adjustment of the recline angle of the seat without necessitating removal of the seat from the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A child restraint system comprising a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back, and first and second laterally spaced anchor rods carried by said seat back, said anchor rods being rotationally movable between a first use position and a second routing position and laterally movable relative to said seat body to facilitate routing of a vehicle lap belt around the anchor rods. 
     
     
       2. The child restraint system of  claim 1 , said anchor rods each including a first portion and a second portion extending generally orthogonally from said first portion. 
     
     
       3. A child restraint system comprising a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back, first and second laterally spaced anchor rods carried by said seat back, said anchor rods being rotationally movable between a first use position and a second routing position to facilitate routing of a vehicle lap belt around the anchor rods, and a sleeve positioned on a rear surface of said seat back and having opposing open ends, said second portion of said first and second anchor rods being movably secured in said open ends of said sleeve. 
     
     
       4. The child restraint system of  claim 3 , said seat back having a frame, said anchor rods carried by said frame, said first portion of said first and second anchor rods positioned laterally outwardly from said seat back. 
     
     
       5. The child restraint system of  claim 4 , said seat body having a sidewall and further comprising an anchor rod stop positioned on said sidewall, said anchor rod stop adapted to limit rearward movement of a vehicle lap belt routed over said first portion of said anchor member. 
     
     
       6. The child restraint system of  claim 3 , said second portion of each of said anchor rods including an outwardly extending pin, and said sleeve including slots adjacent to each of said open ends, said pins being received in said slots to restrain movement of said anchor rods. 
     
     
       7. The child restraint system of  claim 6 , said slots in said sleeve being generally T-shaped with a laterally extending portion and a circumferentially extending portion, alignment of said pin with said laterally extending portion allowing for lateral movement of said anchor rods. 
     
     
       8. The child restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising a recess in said seat back, and an anchor member carried by said seat back and positioned in said recess, said anchor member adapted to receive a vehicle shoulder belt to secure the child restraint system within a vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The child restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising a base, a recline mechanism for repositioning said seat body relative to the vehicle seat on which it is installed between an upright position and a reclined position, and first and second adjustable rigid latch members extending from the rear of said base for securing said base to vehicle anchors, said recline mechanism including a base plate and a recline plate movable relative to said base plate, wherein movement of said recline plate relative to said base plate repositions said seat body. 
     
     
       10. A child restraint system comprising a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back, a recess in the backside of said seat back, and an anchor member carried by said seat back and positioned in said recess, said anchor member adapted to receive a vehicle shoulder belt to secure the child restraint system within a vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The child restraint system of  claim 10 , further comprising a frame supporting said seat body, and a bracket secured to said frame, said anchor member carried by said bracket. 
     
     
       12. The child restraint system of  claim 10 , further comprising a second anchor member, said second anchor member being spaced from said anchor member. 
     
     
       13. The child restraint system of  claim 10 , said anchor member having a first leg, a second leg, and a hook portion connecting said first and second legs. 
     
     
       14. The child restraint system of  claim 13 , further comprising an end cap positioned on an end of said first leg opposite said hook portion, said end cap preventing removal of said anchor member from said seat back. 
     
     
       15. The child restraint system of  claim 14 , wherein said end cap is removably secured to said first leg. 
     
     
       16. The child restraint system of  claim 13 , further comprising an upwardly extending projection extending from an end of said second leg opposite said hook portion, said upwardly extending projection preventing the vehicle shoulder belt from sliding out of said anchor member. 
     
     
       17. The child restraint system of  claim 13 , wherein said second leg is angled relative to said first leg to facilitate insertion of a vehicle shoulder belt over said anchor member. 
     
     
       18. The child restraint system of  claim 10 , wherein said recess includes angled and contoured surfaces adapted to facilitate insertion of the vehicle shoulder belt therein. 
     
     
       19. The child restraint system of  claim 10 , further comprising a base, a recline mechanism for repositioning said seat body relative to the vehicle seat on which it is installed between an upright position and a reclined position, and first and second adjustable rigid latch members extending from the rear of said base for securing the base to vehicle anchors, said recline mechanism including a base plate and a recline plate movable relative to said base plate, wherein movement of said recline plate relative to said base plate repositions said seat body. 
     
     
       20. A child restraint system comprising a base, a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back, a recline mechanism for repositioning said seat body relative to the vehicle seat on which it is installed between an upright position and a reclined position, and first and second adjustable rigid latch members extending from the rear of said base for securing the base to vehicle anchors, said recline mechanism including a base plate connected to said rigid latch members and a recline plate movable relative to said base plate, wherein movement of said recline plate relative to said base plate repositions said seat body. 
     
     
       21. The child restraint system of  claim 20 , said base plate positioned within said base and having opposing sidewalls, said recline plate including opposing sidewalls, said sidewalls of said recline plate including locking slots having a generally inverted U-shape, and said sidewalls of said base plate including approximately vertically oriented slots. 
     
     
       22. The child restraint system of  claim 21 , said recline mechanism further comprising a handle, laterally spaced release arms extending from said handle, ramped surfaces on each of said release arms, and a release rod traversing said recline plate and carried by said release arms. 
     
     
       23. The child restraint system of  claim 22 , said release rod being received in each of said slots in said recline plate and each of said generally vertically oriented slots in said base plate, wherein movement of said handle causes movement of said release arms and said ramped surfaces relative to said base plate, thereby causing said ramped surfaces to engage said release rod and move it upward in said slots to allow movement of said recline plate relative to said base plate. 
     
     
       24. The child restraint system of  claim 20 , further comprising a pawl assembly connecting said rigid latch members to said base plate within said base, said pawl assembly adapted to allow adjustment of the length of said rigid latch members. 
     
     
       25. The child restraint system of  claim 20 , further comprising a recline foot on a bottom surface of said base, said recline foot being pivotally connected to said recline plate. 
     
     
       26. A child restraint system comprising:
 a base; 
 a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back; 
 first and second laterally spaced anchor rods carried by said seat back, said anchor rods being pivotally movable between a first use position and a second routing position to facilitate routing and removal of a vehicle lap belt around the anchor rods; 
 a recess in said seat back; 
 an anchor member carried by said seat back and positioned in said recess, said anchor member having a first leg, a second leg oriented generally parallel to said first leg, and a hook portion connecting said first and second legs, said anchor member adapted to receive a vehicle shoulder belt thereon; 
 a recline mechanism that allows repositioning of said seat body relative to the vehicle seat on which it is installed between a reclined position and an upright position, said recline mechanism including a recline plate and a base plate; and 
 first and second adjustable rigid latch members extending from a rear of said base, said rigid latch members adapted to be secured to vehicle anchors.